That short sleek coat is easy maintenance, but it still does its share of shedding. Shedding occurs year-round, but tends to go through a heavy phase in the spring and fall. You can hasten shedding by giving your Dachshund a warm bath during shedding season, which seems to help any already loose hairs come out.<\/p>\n

Your best shedding tool is a soft rubber-bristle curry brush, which tends to pull dead hair out. Use it when the hair is still damp from bathing for maximal effect, but otherwise just spend a few minutes each day running it over him. You can also use a natural bristle brush or a horse-hair hound glove to burnish your Dachshund\u2019s smooth coat to a sheen. Spray some mink-oil coat dressing on it for a nice smell and an even shinier coat. Otherwise, there\u2019s just not much to do to it – except bathing.<\/p>\n

Maintaining a long coat takes a little more effort than maintaining a short one, but it\u2019s still not very hard. Use a pin brush or comb every few days to keep the tangles out. In winter or in dry climates, spritzing the coat with water or a coat dressing with just a tad of creme rinse in it will prevent static electricity in the coat, and keep it from becoming flyaway.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll probably want to bathe a long coat slightly more often than you do a smooth, but the technique is the same. Oily or dirty hair tangles and mats more easily, which is one reason mats form in oilier areas of the coat, such as behind the ears. Friction areas, such as in the armpits, are also mat magnets.<\/p>\n

The Dachshund is supposed to be a natural, rather than sculpted breed, but if you really want a show-ring look, a tiny bit of trimming can help. Here\u2019s how to achieve that look:<\/p>\n